Releasable catch means for power operated casket-carrying tables or the like



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. O. KROGH CASKET-CARRYING TABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1'7, 1939 RELEASABLE CATCH MEANS FOR POWER "OPERATED April 9, 1940. r

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A ril 9, 1940. P. o; KROGH RELEASABLE CATCH MEANS FOR POWER OPERATED.

CASKET-CARRYING TABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 glwve/wbo'v Fe far 0 Aroyb d 1/ UNITED. STAT This invention relates. more particularly, to

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 RELE AsABLE CATcfl MEANS FOR POWER OPERATED- CASKET-CARRXING:- TABLES g. on THE LIKE- Peter 0, Krogh, Lima, hio,assigr1'or to Superior Body Company, Lima, Ohio, a corporation 'of Ohio Application August 17,

' Claims.

hearses-of'the type employing power driven caske't' carrying tables, which are-movable to carrying position within 'the' hearse orto delivery-or receiving positions, through a hearse'door.

' In the use of such apparatus the power means ,'ior,moving the table is connected thereto ina more or less permanent manner, so that in the event of power failure the table is renderedinoperative'and requires a liitingof' a casket into or out of the hearse by'hand'to the inconvenience, embarrassment and annoyance of the attendants. The primary object of the present invention is the provision ofa simple and efficient releasable connection between the power means and table of a hearse oi the character described, which means is manuallyxoperable in a simple and easy manner toiquickly release the table from the power means in the event of power"f ailur'e. .or otherwise, so that the'table may-then be freely moved by hand to loading or carrying position.

A furtherobject' of thein'vention is the provision of such arelease means which, in 'addi:

'tion to being capableof effecting anv easy and r "so rapid-disengagement of the table and. power means,islalsocapable of easy and rapid ehgage- I ment of such parts; I

v Further objects and advantages of the inven I tlon willbe-apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment thereof, in which- Figure ljis a fragmentary planview of a hearse with: a part of the body'in' horizontalsection and with the casket-carrying table shown in full lines in! casket-carrying position and in dotted lines in casket-delivering 'or receiving position; Fig. .2

I jis airagmentary perspective detail of theassow 'ciated parts embodying the invention with the catch means in engaged position and with parts in section Fig. 3-is a vertical cross-section thereof taken centrally through the latch means and with the parts in engagement; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken centrally through the latch means with the latch parts disengaged; Fig. 5 1s an enlarged detail of the catch pin assembly; Fig. 6 V is an enlarged detail'ofthe'clutch pincarrying sleeve-andtruck', and Figs; '7 and 8 are enlarged perspective and end" views, respectively, of the block sleeve. and cam guide.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a hearse having a casket-carrying. table 2 mounted and guided formovements therein, whereby it may be disposed in carrying positionwithin the hearse,

as shown in fulllines in Fig 1, or moved therefrom, to; loadingor delivery position asshownby dotted 1939, Serial No. 290,618,"

(01. ram-e5) 7 lines in Fig. 1; as well understood in the art'.

The table is mounted slightly above the hearse" 41001 3 for freesliding movements on the, customary anti-friction rollers or supports. The guiding ofithetablemay be effected by members projectingcdownward therefrom and working. in v guide slotsprovided in the floor, as is common in the art. In the present instance (Fig. 2), 5

designates a guide slot extending lengthwise in the hearsefioor centrally of its sides. This slot is provided at the upper edges of its: side walls withinturned guide flanges 6.

' The power means for the table is shown in the I catch: means comprising the invention, a verside of the flanges 6 at the respective sides of the slot. -In the present instance, the sleeve II rotatably projects through a central opening in;

the truck ltandis flanged beneath such truck, as shown at I5. I

A catch-pin head It is mounted for reciprocatory movements in the lower end of'the sleeve ll and'has a tapered lower end for releasable engagement within a slot or recess I! in the top of a catch block Iii attached to the power member Hi. This bIOCkiS provided with rollers 19' for traveling in a channel guide 2% extending lengthwise beneath the guide slot Sand secured in some suitable manner to the'underside of the floor 3. 'The' top surface ofthe .catch block l8 at front'and rear of the recess. I! is preferably beveled downwardly and outwardly from the top of the recess wall's'forfacilitating engagement of the catch-pin with the block recess when the block is moved under the pin from either direction of movement.

The catch-pin I6 is normally held projected,

coiled expansion spring 22 mounted within the sleeve H between the head and a washer 23 shouldered in the sleeve. The bore of the sleeve H is reduced above the washer 23 and receives a plunger 24 which has a stem 25 projecting downward from its lower end through the washer 23 and in fixed engagement with the catch-head l6, so that the head and plunger move together. A slot 26 extends diametrically through the plunger 24 and registers at its ends with slots 21 in the front and rear sides of the sleeve ll within the table 2.

The table 2 is recessed at its under side to receive a sleeve block 30 through which the sleeve II is fitted, such block being fixedly secured to the table, as by welding if the table is of metal or its recess is bounded by metal, or in any other suitable manner. The sleeve block 30 is slotted at opposite sides in registry with the sleeve slots 21 and has the walls of its slots extending lengthwise of the table and away from the sleeve II by extensions 3! on the block.

A stud cam 35 is guided for longitudinal reciprocatory movements by the sleeve block 30 between the extensions 3i thereof and extends through the slots 2'! of the sleeve H and also the slot 26 in the plunger 24.v The cam 35 has a narrow neck portion 36 which, when within the plunger slot, permits the catch pin Iii to be lowered into engaging position with the catch block I8. A cam surface or incline 3'! extends outward in one direction from the neck 36 and is adapted when drawn into the plunger 25 to cause a raising of the plunger and consequent raising of the catch pin l6 from catch block engaging position, as shown in Fig. 4. The cam 35 has a stop lug 38 at one end for engagement with the sleeve block 30, as shown in Fig. 4, to limit the catch pin releasing movement of the cam, and at its other end is provided with a shouldered part 39 for engagement with either the sleeve l I or the side of the plunger 24 to limitthe movement of the cam in the opposite direction. Extending in the present instance from the neck end of the cam is a control rod 40, which projects lengthwise of the table 2 through an opening provided therein for the purpose, and extends without the forward end of the'table. The rod 49 at its forward end is provided with a handle 4|.

When the parts of the releasable catch means have been assembled with the sleeve I I mounted in the sleeve block 30 and the truck l3 disposed within the floor slot 5, the nut I2 is turned down against the sleeve block 30 to cause the truck rollers M to exert an upward pressure against the guide flanges E5 and to hold the table 2 down on its supporting floor rollers. When the parts have been so assembled in connection with the table and floor, the catch pin head i5 is released from or permitted to have catch engagement with the catch block H8, at the will of the operator, by movements of the rod 40 and its cam 35, as is apparent. The outer end 4! of the rod 40 is in convenient reach of the operator, so it may be easily controlled. When the catch has been released the table 2 may be freely moved by hand relative to the power means the same as when the hearse is not equipped with power operating means for the table. It will be understood that the table 2 is held in casket-carrying position within the hearse in any suitable manner.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a vehicle having an article carrying table guided for predetermining movements therein, and a table actuating power means part reciprocably movable lengthwise of the table movement, a releasable catch means between the power means part and table including cooperating catch members carried one by the table and the other by the power means part, one being relatively movable to release and engage the other, and means manually operable to control the releasing and engaging movements of said relatively movable member.

. 2. In a vehicle having an article carrying table guided for predetermined movements therein, and a table actuating power means part movable with the table, a releasable catch means part between the power means part and table, including 00- operating catch members carried one by the table and the other by the power means, one of said members comprising a clutch pin relatively movable to release and engage the other, and cam means engaging said pin member and manually operable to control its releasing and engaging movements.

3. In a vehicle having an article carrying table guided for predetermined movements therein, and a table actuating power means part reciprocably movable lengthwise of the table movement, a releasable catch block movable with the power means part, a cooperating catch pin movable with the table and mounted therein for movements relative thereto transverse to its plane of movement, and means carried by the table and operable to control its movements transverse to the table to engage and release said catch block.

4. In a vehicle having a floor with a guide slot therein, an article carrying table mounted for predeterminedmovements onthefioor, and a power actuating means part reciprocably movable beneath the floor lengthwise thereof, of a releasable catch means between said table and power means part and cooperating with the guide slot to guide the table movements, said catch means having cooperating catch members carried one by the table and the other by the power means part, one of said members being relatively movable to release and engage the other, and means manually operable to control the releasing and engaging movements of said relatively movable member.

5. The combination with a vehicle having a guide slot in its floor, an article carrying table movably mounted on the floor, and a table actuating power means part reciprocably movable beneath the fioor lengthwise thereof, of a releasable catch means for connecting said table and power means part through said slot and cooperating with the slot to guide the table movements, and means manually operable to control the release and engagement of said catch means.

6. In a vehicle having a guide slot in its floor, a table mounted for guided movements on said floor, and a table actuating power means beneath the floor, the combination of a releasable catch means for connecting said table and power means through said slot and cooperating with the latter to guide the table movements, said catch means including a catch block movable with the power means and a catchpin movable with the table and mounted for catch engaging and re-, table actuating power member beneath said floor leasing movements relative to the table, and means associated with the table and manually operable to control the catch engaging and releasing movements of the catch pin.

7; The combination with a vehicle having a floor with a guide slot therein, an article carrying table mounted for movements on the floor, and a movable table actuating power member mounted beneath the floor slot for movements lengthwise thereof, of a releasable catch means between said table and power member, said means: including a catch block carried by said power member, a vertically disposed sleeve carried by said table and extending through said slot and cooperating therewith to guide the table movements, a movable catch member mounted in said sleeve and operable to release or engage said catch block, and means manually operable to control the catch engaging and releasing movements of said catch member.

8. In a hearse having a casket carrying table movably mounted on its floor, a guide slot lengthwise in its floor, aind a reciprocally movable table actuating power member beneath said floor and slot, the combination of a releasable catch means between said table and power member including a catch part attached to said power member, a truck in cooperating guiding engagement with said slot and having a sleeve extending through the slot and attached to thetable, a catch member movably mounted in said truck sleeve, and means movable with the table and manually operable to control the clutch engaging and releasing movements of said clutch member.

9. In a hearse having a'casket carrying table movably mounted on its floor, a flanged guide slot lengthwise in itsfloor, and a reciprocally movable and slot, the combination of a releasable catch means between said table and power member including a catch part attached to said power member, a truck in upward thrust guiding engagement with the slot flanges and having a sleeve projecting upward therefrom through the slot and attached to the table, a catch pin mounted in said sleeve for movements to engage and release said power clutch part, and means movable with the table and manually operable to control the clutch engaging and releasing movements of said pin, said truck and sleeve cooperating with the guide flanges to hold the table to the floor for parallel movements thereover.

10. In a hearse having a casket carrying table movably mounted on its floor, a flanged guide slot lengthwisein its floor, and a reciprocally movable power member beneath the floor and slot, of releasable catch means for connecting said table and power member through said slot, said means including a catch member fixed t0 and movable with said power member, a truck having upward thrust engagement with the slot flanges and having a sleeve extending upward through the slot and attached to said table, said sleeve having provision for drawing the truck upward against the slot flanges and holding the table down on the floor, a catch pin mounted in said sleeve for releasable engagement with said power catch member, and cam means cooperating with said sleeve and pin and manually operable to control the catch engaging and releasing movements .of the pin, said pin being normally biased to engage its companion when the cam means is in released position.

PETER. o. moon.

. CERTIFEICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,196,265. v April 9, 191p.

PETER O. KROGH. v i It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numberedpaten't requiring correction as follows: Page 2, sec- 0nd column, line 7, claim 1, for the word "predetermining" read-predeterniined-.-; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe neadwith this corre ction" therein that the s ratentforrice.

Signed and sealed this 11 th day of May, A. D. l9h0.

ame may conform to the record of thecase in the Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting'Commissioner ofPatents. 

